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GROTON CITY ANIMAL HOSPITAL
"Caring For Pets And Their People"
Providing Care For Horses, Alpacas, Llamas, Goats, Sheep, Dogs, Cats & Pocket
Pets
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Regular grooming
is essential to keep your dog's coat healthy and shiny. It is recommended to
groom with a hard bristled brush or comb daily. If the dog has a long coat, a
dog rake or metal comb is needed to comb out mats. Bathing should be done as
infrequently as possible but as often as necessary. As a rule of thumb, it is
best not to bathe a dog more often than once a week.
Before bathing,
check the coat of mats or snarls and remove them. If they are not taken out,
shampoo, dirt, and moisture trapped ion the mats can lead to skin irritations or
infections. Pack the ears with cotton to soak up any water that gets into them.
During the summer a kiddie wadding pool works well for bathing, or use a bathtub
or laundry tub year round. Make sure to read the directions for the shampoo and
use only shampoo specifically made for pets, human shampoo can strip their fur
of their natural oils.
First wet the
entire coat, then lather the shampoo. When the entire body has been lathered.
rinse thoroughly getting out all traces of the soap. Leaving soap on the skin
can lead to skin reactions or infections. When drying, make sure that your dog
does not get chilled. First, towel dry with an old bath towel. Then use a blow
dryer to completely dry the coat, or confine the dog to a kitchen, bathroom, or
laundry room until he is completely dry so that the moisture will not cause any
damage to furniture. After the coat is dry, thoroughly brush it out.
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